Brown’s Mart celebrates 50 years of launching Territorian thespian careers

From Miranda Tapsell to Rob Collins, this historic stone building in Darwin’s heart has launched the careers of many Territory performers. Now it’s celebrating a major milestone.

An important part of Darwin’s cultural identity is celebrating a major milestone.

And without the iconic brown stone building that sits in the heart of the CBD, the arts scene could be a very different place.

Brown’s Mart turns 50 this year and it is hosting a weekend of free activities to commemorate the achievement.

The anniversary conjures up trying memories for those who have been there since the start, with a number of battles fought for the building since 1970.

Brown's Mart Theatre. Picture: Che Chorley

“There was an initial fight to stop the building from being knocked down and turned into a rose garden,” one of Brown’s Mart’s founders Lyn Serventy said.
“So we began a campaign to save it.

“Then there was another battle to keep it as a theatre — so there were two battles we had to fight.”

Over the past 50 years, Brown’s Mart has brought immense joy to Territorians, with countless plays, musical acts and performances put on.

It has also acted as a launching pad for the career of some of the Territory’s best thespians

Current chief executive of Brown’s Mart, Sophia Hall, said the building had seen some iconic names perform.

“You’ve got people like Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell who came through as performers,” she said,

“It’s those artists but even more excitingly it’s all of those behind the scenes that form the fabric of the Darwin performing community.”

David McMicken from Tracks Dance considers himself as “one of hundreds and thousands” of people whose lives were made better by Brown’s Mart.

“When I was dancing you’d finish career at 35, but Brown’s Mart gave me a new lease of life that dance can live on,” he said.

“It continues to inspire me and support me artistically.”

David McMicken says Brown’s Mart is a life-changer for local arts lovers. Picture: Keri Megelus

It was on a visit from Melbourne in the early 1990s that he discovered the opportunity the space offered and he hasn’t looked back.

“Coming up here really taught me what being Australian is really about.”

Mr McMicken said both his career and the state of Territory arts would be unrecognisable if Brown’s Mart didn’t exist.

“I’d probably be a bank teller or something,” he said.

“Without Brown’s Mart a lot of our cultural talent would be imported and the performers wouldn’t have that understanding of where they come from.”

David McMicken and the Grey Panthers perform.

Ms Hall agreed with Mr McMicken’s sentiment.

“Without Brown’s Mart it’s much less likely that these organisations would have taken off in the way they did,” she said.

Those organisations that were born in the space include the Darwin Fringe Festival, Corrugated Iron Youth Arts and NT Writers’ Centre — all of which are coming together to take part in the weekend of celebrations.

“Think of any arts community in this town they started at Brown’s Mart and they’ve all become quite large in their own right,” she said.

Looking forward to the future, the group has brought on a First Nations Advisory Group formed with famous Territorians Rob Collins and Rosealee Pearson, to ensure the focus remains on the ties to culture.

Brown's Mart chief executive Sophia Hall is excited to celebrate the organisation’s 50th birthday. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

Ms Hall recently took over as the boss of the organisation and said she hopes to continue it’s important work for the arts scene for another 50 years.

“What you’ll continue to see are amazing performances here

Performances that are made by, for and about Territory.

“The futures gonna see us become even more open and more inclusive,” she said.